The Cycle of Life 269 



"Those who live in the same town go to raid, to take heads. After 

 they arrive, those who live in the same town, 'We go and dance with 

 the heads/ said the people, who live in the same town, 'because they 

 make a celebration, those who went to kill.' 'When the sun goes down, 

 you come to join us,' said the mother and baby (to her husband who 

 goes to the celebration). After that the sun truly went down; she 

 went truly to join her husband; after that they were not (there), the 

 mother and the baby (i. e., when the father arrived where they had 

 agreed to meet, the mother and child were not there). 



"He saw their hats lying on the ground. He looked down; the 

 mother and the baby were in (the ground), which ground swallowed 

 them. 'Why (are) the mother and the baby in the ground? How can 

 I get them?' When he raises the mother and the baby, they go (back) 

 into the ground. After that Kaboniyan above, looking down (said), 

 'What can you do? The spirits of Ibal in Daem are the cause of their 

 trouble. It is better that you go to the home of your parents-in-law, 

 and you go and prepare the things needed in Ibal,' said Kaboniyan. 



"They went truly and prepared; after that they brought (the 

 things) to the gate. After that the mother and child came out of the 

 ground. 'After this when there is a happening like this, of which you 

 Ipogau are in danger, you do like this (i. e., make the Ibal ceremony) ; 

 and I alone, Kaboniyan am the one you summon,' said Kaboniyan. 



"After that they got well because they came up, the mother and 

 the baby." 



When the chant is finished, the animal is slaughtered, and food 

 is prepared both for guests and spirits. Following the instructions of 

 Kaboniyan, the latter is placed at the entrance to the village; after 

 which it is possible that this powerful spirit will visit the gathering 

 in the person of the medium, and give further instructions for the 

 care of the infant. 



In the village of Lakub the writer witnessed a variation of this 

 ceremony which, it is said, is also followed in case the pregnancy is 

 not progressing favorably. A piece of banana stalk, wrought into the 

 form of a child, and wearing a bark head-band, was placed on the 

 mat beside the medium. She, acting for a spirit, seized the miniature 

 shield and bow and arrow which hung above the baby, and attempted 

 to shoot the figure. Immediately two old women came to the rescue 

 of the image, and after a sharp tussel compelled the spirit to desist. 

 They then secured the weapons, and in their turn tried to shoot the 

 figure, which was now defended in vain by the medium. It was later 

 explained that, in the first place, the figure represented the child, and 



